Automatic lubricator.



A. MERTSHEIMER. AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1914.

Patented May18,-1915.

' ing at-Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt in any other suitable FFlt /Et AUTOMATIC LUBP ICATOR.

manner.

Application filed June 2, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be. it known that I, AUeUsTUs NlERTS iiniainn, citizen of the United States, resid Lalre and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic lubri- 1 caters andmore particularly to an improved device of this character especiall adapted tor use in connection with bearings which are arranged to move or rotate with reference to the journal. engaged by the bearing, although the construct-ion may be employed adaptation.

The invention has as its primary object to provide a lubricator embodying thermostatic means for causing the positive and even feeding of'the lubricant to the journal and including an indicator so arranged that the quantity of lubricant within the cup of the lubri :ator may be readily determined.

The invention has as a further object to provide a lubricator of the above described character wherein the indicator is so constructed and arranged that said indicator may be manually actuated to cause the lubricant contained within the cup of the lubricator to be positively fed to the bearing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic lubricator employing a thermostatic element of such construction that: the overheating of the lubricant contained within the cup of the lubricator will be avoided, while at the same time, pro

viding means whereby the lubricant may,

under all conditions, be caused to be properly fed to the journal. And a still further object of the invention is to provide a lubricator composed of few and simple parts and of such construction that it may be readily applied to bearings as now in commen use. I

With these and other objects in view my invention will be more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the accompanying drawings :F igure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing my improved lubricator applied to a bearing of conventional type. Fig. 2 is a detail per-. spective View showing the lubricator detached, and illustrating the thermostatic rod Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial N 0. 842,485;

to in. the following description and indicated in all thev'iews of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Patented Mag: 18, 19-15;

For the purposes of convenience, I have extremity of aconventional type of crank arm, the bearing being provided with the usual bushing 11 and supporting the journal 12 of ordinary construction Formed in the bearing 10 and extending radially of the journal 12 is a suitable aperture 13 which is enlarged adjacent the outer wall of the bearing and is interiorly screw threaded to engage the screw threaded plug 1% of the lubricator cup 15. The cup 15 may be constructed of any suitable materiah being preferably cylindrical as shown, and is provided with a base 16 on which the plug 1% is formed. The plug 1: is centrally bored as at 17, said bore communicating with the interior of the cup and the aper ture 13 formed in the bearing, in the operative position of the cup, the aperture .13 in turn opening at its inner extren'iity upon the interior of the bearing. Communication is thus established between the interior of the cup 15 and the journal 12.

The cup 15 is interiorl'y screw threaded adjacent itsupper extremity to receivean eXteriorly screw threaded cap 18 which is preferably formed with a reduced head 19, the head 19 being provided with fiat side faces to receive a wrench or other tool. Centrally formed in the cap 18 and opening upon the inner face thereof is a longitudinally extending recess 20 which extends for a portion of its length within the head 19 of the cap.

co After filling the cup lithe follower 22 is,

mit lubricant contained within the cup to low to the ournal 12 and it will be ob-- served that said rod is of such length as to extend exteriorly of the cup 15 when the cap 18 is removed therefrom. Thus, when it desired to remove therod 21, the upper projecting extremity thereof may be readily grasped and since, under normal conditions,

when the cap is applied, the upper extremity of the rod 21 is housed within the recess 20 formed in the cap, said upper extremity .of the rod will be free from grease and may consequently, be easily grasped; It is also to be noted that in thus arranging the upper extremity of the rod 2i to seat within the cap 18, the rod is maintained in proper alii einent within the bore 17 and the aperture l3- l'ornicd in'the bearing.

The rod 91 is thus supported to contact with the joiu'nallz "and in the practical use of the device as will be clear, the friction between the parts will cause the rod to heat which will be communicated by the rod to the lubricant contained within the cup 15, causing said lubricant to flow to the ournal '31 positive and steady feeding ofthe lubricant is thus insured. The rod 21 may be formed of any suitable materialbut is preferably made of copper since it has been terial which provides a follower,

found in practical use that such; metal'will lie-at quickly due to frictional contact with the journal, to thus cause the lubricant to flow upon a very few-revolutions of the 30711? na] 12, but, at the same time, will not heat to such a degree as would cause injury to the, lubricant to cause it to'bccome of such con-,

sistency as to feed too freely to the journal.

Mounted to slide vertically within the cup 15 is a dish formed from any suitable me.-

the disk being centrally aperture-d to receive the rod 21 which forms a guide therefor. A rod 23 having screw threaded en 'ageinent with the disk is arranged to extend vertically through a suitable aperture formed in the cap 18 to project normally exteriorly "of said cap, and.

by this construction will be observed that said rml-proxtides a ineanstor indicat ng'the amount of lubricant contained within 'tl'ie cup, the follower 22 resting normally upon "the upper surface of said lubricant. -lt-is also to be noted that the rod is secured tothe disk 92 adjacent the periphery thereof and isja'rrangedto extend through the cap 18 upon one sideof its axis of rotation.

of course, first inserted therein and'the cap is then applied, audit will he observed that as said cap 18 is turned into engagement with the cup, the follower will be rotated therein around the rod 21 to thus efiectually remove the lubricant from the wall of the cup to force it downwardly toward the bottom thereof, this being a very advantageous construction Where hard grease is used.

Attention is further called to the fact that the indicator which I provide, said indicatorincluding the follower 22 and the rod 23, may be employed to manually force the hibricant contained within the cup downwardly to be fed to the journal 12. Thus,

if for any reason it is desired to have an cX- manually operated to cause a forced feeding of the lubricant. It will further beseen that the invention is simple in construction and may be readily'applied to any ordinary type of suitable journal.- Vi hile any suitable lubricant may be employed in connection with my improved lubrica-tor, still, the

construction is' more particularly adapted for lubricants of a more or less viscid character. As will be clear, "the rod 21 will distribute the greatest amount of heat within the cupl5 immediately adjacent the base thereof to thus cause a partial melting of the lubricant at such point to feed to the journal 12, while the lubricant contained in the upper part of the cup will not be so greatly afiected by the heat of the rod. Hence, the greater portion of the heat communicated by the rod interiorly vof the cup will be absorbed immediately upon coming in contact with the lubricant contained in the lower part ofthe cup. As the lubricant contained in the lower part of the cup is fed to the journal 12, the more solid lubricant contains, in the upper part of the cup will sink toward the bottom thereof to come in contact with the rod at the point where the greatest amount of heat is distributed thereby. A constant and even feed ing of the lubricant is thus obtained.

Whilel have indicated above that the disk 22 may be formed of any suitable material,- still, it is referred that such disk be con- L copper as it has been found in iao - having slidable connection with said cap.

economical use thereof, while at the same.

time, as in the instance of the rod 21, a follower constructed of such material will not heat to a' degree such as would cause the lubricant contained within the cup to be- I come too fluent. Therefore, the disk 22 provides a se'condthermostatic element and as will be clear, such construction is of decided advantage in that the economical use ofthe lubricant is thus insured While at'the same time, a steady and eiiicient feeding of the lubricant to the journal is maintained. In

this connection it is desired to state that 1. Alubricator includin a cu arran eda :2

upon a bearing and adapted to have communication 'with the journal engaged by the bearing, a thermostatic element mounted in said cup and arranged to contact with the journal, :1 cap fitting within the outer extermity of the cup and closing the cup, the said cap being provided w 'itha head and having a recess formed tierein extending into the head, the said recess freely receiving and entirely inclosing the adjacent upper extremity of said thermostatic element whereby the said cap will receive and tend to retain within the cup, heat communicated thereto and rising through the said thermostatic element, and a. second thermostatic element surrounding said first mentioned element and longitudinally movable thereon.

2. A lubricator including a cup arranged upon a bearing and adapted to have communication with the journal engaged by the bearing, a thermostatic element mounted in said cup. said element including a rod having slidable connection with the cup and arranged to contact with said journal, a cap carried by the cup, said cap being recessed to receive the adjacent extremity of said rod and providing a guide therefor, and a lubricant indicator mounted for vertical movement within the cup, said indicator be ing slidably mounted upon said 'rod and 3. A lubricator including a cup arranged upon a bearing and adapted to have communication with the journal. engaged by the bearing. a rod detachably connected with the cup. said rod being arranged to contact with the journal and disposed to extend through the cup to project exteriorly thereof, a cap carried by the cup and having free connection with said rod, said cap being adapted to form a housing for the projecting extremity of the rod and providing a guide therefor, andla lubricant indicator slidably mounted Within the cup and having slidable connection with said cap.

4; A lubricator including a cup arranged upon a bearing and adapted to have communication with the journal engaged by the bearing, a thermostatic element disposed to extend Within the cup and arranged to contact with the journal, a guide for the outer extremity of said element, said guide forming a'closure for the cup and a housing for the outer extremity of said element, and a lubricant indicator arranged for vertical movement within the cup and having slidable connection with said element, said indi cator including a rod (projecting normally exteriorly of the cup and having slidable connection with said guide.

5. Alubricator including a cup arranged upon a bearing and adapted to have com munication with the" journal engaged by the bearing, a thermostatic element having free connection with" the cup, said element including a rod arranged to contact with the journal and disposed to extend within the cup, a cap carried by the cup, and a lubricant indicator detachably connected to thecup, said indicator including a disk arranged for vertical movement within the cup and having an aperture formed therein to receive said rod, and a rod having detach able connection with said disk and arranged to extend through said cap, said rod projecting normally exteriorly of the 'cap.

6. A lubricator including a cup'arranged upon a bearing and adaptedto have communication with the journal engaged by the bearing, a thermostatic element having free connection with the cup and arranged to contact with the journal, saidelement being disposed to extend within'the cup, a cap carried by the cup, and a lubricant ind; cator arranged for vertical movement within the cup and having slidable connection with said element, said indicator being arranged to extend normally exteriorly of the cup and having slidable connection therewith, being adapted to cause the expulsion of the lubricant contained within the cup to feed to the journal upon the movement of said'indicator inone direction. 7. A lubricator including a cup arranged upon a bearing and adapted to havecom- *munication with the journal engaged-by the bearing. a thermostatic element having free connection with the cup and arranged to contact with the journal, said element be ing disposed to extend within; the cup, a cap having screw threaded engagement with the cup, and a'lubri'cant indicator detachably connected to the cup, said indic'ator including a disk arranged for vertical movement within the cup and havin slidable connection with said thermostatic elej to said disk adjacent the periphery thereof,- said rod being arranged to extend through the cap and having slidable connection menttand arodconnectedat one extremity therewith whereby the dish when operatively connected to the cap is caused to be 1 rotated around said thermostatic element upon the application; of the cap to the cupe 8;.A'lubricator including a cup arranged upon a bearing and adapted to have communication with the journal engagedby thebearing, a. cap closing one end of the cup,

j a thermostatic element arranged-within the cup and having one extremity thereof operatively supported by said cap, the opposite extremity of said element being arranged to contact with the journal, a follower arranged for vertical movement within the cup upon said'tiermostatic element, and a.

rigid indicating rod detachably connected to the follower and extending through said cap exteriorly'of the cup, said rod having free connection with the cap.

9. A luhricator including a cup arranged upon a bearing and adapted to have cornmunication with the journal engaged by the bearing, a thermostatic element of copper mounted in said cup and arranged to con tact with the journal, ands second thermostatic element of copper mounted within;

' the cup upon said first mentioned element and arranged to ooact therewith, said second thermostatic element being movable- Within'the cup independently of said'first mentioned thermostatic element.

1,0. A lubricator including a cup arrzfiiged upon a bearing and adaptedtohave communication with the journal engaged 'by the bearing, a'twisted rod adapted to be mounted in said cup to contact with the journal, said rod providing a thermostatic element, andx a second thermostatic element,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for gaged by the hearing, a thermostatic ele-fl ment mounted in said receptacle and arranged tocontact with the journeLand a second thermostatic element .mounted for independent movement within the receptan cle uponsaid first mentioned element and arranged to coact therewith.

- 12. A. lubricator including a receptacle arranged upon a bearing and adapted to have communication with a journal en gaged by the hearing, athermostatic ele-. ment mounted in sald receptacle and arranged to contact with the journal, and asecond thermostatic element arranged to c0- act with said first mentioned thermostaticv f element and constituting an indicator.

13, A. luhricator including a receptacle arranged upon a hearingand adapted to hare communication with a journal engages by bearing, a thermostatic element mounted Within the receptacle and ar ranged to contact with the journal, and a second thermostatic element mounted for sliding movement upon said first mentioned thermostatic element and arranged to c'oact therewith, said second mentioned .thermostatic I element providing means whereby.

grease contained within the receptacleimay h positively fed to'the journal.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signatureiin pre'senceof two witnesses.

worsens Msersmnsn. Ls f lvitnesses; v

Miizrnonrnarr THoMns, HARRY I. Mines.

fivecents each, byeddreseing the Commissioner of 2mm, Washington, 33. (3. 

